Construction began on the General Classroom building in December 1987.1 The 165,000 square foot brick building was erected in area formerly known as Davis Arboretum.2 At a cost of $1.5 million, the General Classroom Building was the largest on campus at that point. The facility houses the departments of Business, Foreign Languages, and English.
On February 10, 2001, the General Classroom Building was renamed in honor of the late Harold H. Bate (1907-2000) of New Bern. After graduating from Cornell University he became a philanthropist, investor, and joined the family lumber business until his retirement. Bate was originally from New York, but moved to New Bern in 1964 to expand the family business. Bate, who died August 2000 at the age of 93, made contributions to ECU totaling more than $2.7 million as well as establishing the Harold H. Bate Foundation, which has assets close to $60 million.3
- Other names
- General Classroom Building
- Built
- 1988
- Construction cost
- $12.4 million
- Gross sq. ft.
- 166,640
- Assignable sq. ft.
- 111,220
- Architects
- Little & Associates, Inc., Charlotte, NC
- Namesake
- On February 10, 2001 the General Classroom Building was renamed in honor of Harold H. Bate (1907-2000) of New Bern. After graduating from Cornell University he became a philanthropist, investor, and joined the family lumber business until his retirement. Bate was originally from New York, but moved to New Bern in 1964 to expand the family business. Mr. Bate, who died last year at the age of 93, made contributions to ECU totaling more than $2.7 million as well as establishing the Harold H. Bate Foundation, which has assets close to $60 million.
- History
- East Carolina’s newest classroom building is the largest on campus. It contains 65 classrooms and labs, 30 of which are tiered seminar rooms, and 180 faculty offices. Housed in this building are the School of Business, the English Department, the Business Education Department, the Foreign Languages & Literatures Department, the Honors Program, International Studies, and the Branch Banking & Trust Center for Leadership Development offices.
1990 – Room 2203 was designated the “Inglis Fletcher Library” in honor of the late novelist and in appreciation of her granddaughter Carolista Fletcher-Golden’s donation of Ms. Fletcher’s elegant Jacobean library furnishings. Some of these furnishings include: an Anglo-Persian rug, a Jacobean chair and bench, an antique deacon’s bench, and a library table used by Ms. Fletcher while writing.August 1992 – General Classroom Building 1031 was named in honor of W. Howard Rooks of Alexandria, Virginia. He was an ECU alumnus and major supporter of the School of Business and University Scholar Awards Program. Also the Department of Communication’s computer lab was named after alumnus Charles S. Edwards.
1992 & 1993 – Faculty and Students experienced headaches and skin rashes due to high levels of carbon dioxide. Improvements to the ventilation system were made to reduce the high concentration and to improve the environment for the faculty and students.
April 1998 – Professors Emeriti James L. Fleming and Marguerite A. Perry are honored by having the Foreign Language and Literature Conference Room named after them. Students know it today as the Fleming-Perry Conference Room.
March 1999 – Students raise concern over Halon 1301 signs over the doors over the computer lab on the third floor. The signs read “Warning: Do not enter room when alarm sounds. Halon 1301 is being released.” In case of a fire, Halon 1301 is used to deplete areas of oxygen in a matter of minutes to reduce damage. Since Halon gives off CFC’s, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a mandate in 1993 that no more Halon 1301 can be produced. Only recycled Halon can be used until new systems can be installed. Because of the high cost, ECU has made no plans to convert to a new system until the old one containing Halon has been used.
Soruces
1 “New Building Still Needs Work,” The East Carolinian, Vol. 62. No. 27. December 3, 1987.
2 “History of the College of Health and Human Performance,” S. Knight. http://www.ecu.edu/cs-hhp/upload/HHP_HX_Timeline.pdf; “Harold H. Bate Building Residence Hall Facility Condition Analysis,” http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/campus_operations/facilities/customcf/ises/HSC/BBATE.pdf. August 25, 2010.
3 “Name Given to General Classroom Building,” ECU News Services, January 25, 2001, http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/news/newsstory.cfm?ID=328; http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/bot/upload/Athletics-and-Advancement-3.pdf; http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/ecuf/upload/Harold-H-Bate-Foundation-profile.pdf
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